FUZHOU: Few people know the obstacles strongman Zhang Xiangxiang had to overcome before finally winning his first Olympic gold on Monday. Fewer still are aware that the 25-year-old survived a medical mistake that almost cost him his life.

It's only now, when the champ's remaining days as a professional are numbered after securing China's second weightlifting gold, that all may know the story of Zhang's long march to success.

Zhang Xiangxiang of China hugs the barbell weighing 184kg he unsuccessfully tried to lift during the men's 62kg Group A clean and jerk weightlifting competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 11, 2008. Zhang won the gold medal. [Agencies]

It was not a passion for sports that made Zhang, of Longyan in Fujian province, decide to become an athlete, but his parents. They took him to a sports school when he was 8 years old in the hope it would make him better behaved and help control his eating habits.

Zhang was initially expected to train as a ping-pong player, but the coach thought he was too old, so he went in for weightlifting instead. He immediately established a good rapport with his coach, Zhu Riping, who knew the boy would become a star.

As Zhang's parents did not want him to be a weightlifter, Zhu went on his motorbike to their house every day to pick him up for practice. A year later, they accepted the idea.

Zhang's talent soon became obvious. At sixth grade, he was selected to train in Beijing, where in 1999 he won his first amateur championship. The next year, Zhang went with the national team to the Sydney Olympics where he won the 56 kg total bronze medal.

But it seemed that might be the peak of his Olympic career, because after being upgraded to the 62 kg category he had a severe back injury, exacerbated by a medical mishap, which caused his collapse and near death.

Doctors warned Zhang that he would never be fit enough to compete in weightlifting again. But the tenacious strongman held on. In his own words: "So long as you have life, you can achieve everything."

But "everything" took Zhang four years. He was unable to go to Athens, and it was only last year that he reclaimed the national championship and qualified for the 2008 Games.

"He's really something. He has a bigger heart than most among the national squad," Team China men's coach Chen Wenbin said of Zhang.

Having finally won his Olympic gold, Zhang said he might never appear again as an Olympian.

"I've experienced life and once neared death," the new champ said on Monday. "I'm just very happy to be here to see you all."

Zhang has just received his master's degree in sports education, and plans to go on to a PhD. He says studying is now the most important thing in his life.

"My mom always said I wouldn't even be able to work as a doorman unless I studied. I want to get a PhD now, as well as a great command of calligraphy and English," he said.